Euro 2024

[WestYorksRoyal]

Looking at the qualification race, they may as well increase the Euros to 32 teams. There wouldn't be any quality drop off by allowing another 8 teams and it would get rid of the stupid group stages where there is minimal jeopardy and room for upset.

If you wanted a smaller, higher quality tournament the expansion from 16 to 24 was the one to fight. Now that battle has been lost, may as well go all the way and make it 32.

[YorkshireRoyal99]

Albania - would be only their second ever major tournament appearance, after the Euros in 2016.

Luxembourg would be one hell of a story, but likely through the play-offs. Slovakia should be able to get two points from their last two games.

Israel have only reached one major tournament in their history - the 1970 World Cup. Romania's qualification record is poor in recent times too, but they should have enough to win the group. The Swiss play both teams still, and those games will likely decide qualification.

Armenia, whilst second bottom, still in with a decent shout as well. It's a strange one with Armenia, they seem quite a hot and cold team at the moment, battered Wales but then lost at Latvia and also took points off Turkey as well in that group.

During the Euro 2020 qualifying campaign, Armenia had 9 points after 6 games and were still well in the hunt for qualification after solid victories over both Bosnia and Greece, but ended up finishing on 10 points and incredibly lost 9-1 against Italyat the end of the qualifying campaign.

In the 2022 World Cup qualifying period, Armenia were top after 3 games, winning all 3 games against Romania, Liechtenstein and Iceland before drawing at Macedonia and were then 3-1-0 after 4 games. Similarly, this all fell apart after this stage as Armenia failed to win another game and were potentially expectedly thrashed at Germany 6-0, were humiliated at home by Macedonia 5-0 and drew at home to lowly Liechtenstein.

Weird team.

[Sanguine]

I think their good results are broadly overachievements - they don't really have anyone of note in the big leagues. Grant-Leon Ranos has joined Borussia Mönchengladbach and has four goals in seven caps, and midfielder Ugochukwu Iwu (naturalised, born in Nigeria) is playing for Rubin Kazan, but otherwise you look at their squad and wonder how they achieve even the results that they do, especially now that Mkhitaryan has retired from internationals.

[South Coast Royal]

Bearing in mind their group, Albania's performance has been some achievement.

[YorkshireRoyal99]

I think their good results are broadly overachievements - they don't really have anyone of note in the big leagues. Grant-Leon Ranos has joined Borussia Mönchengladbach and has four goals in seven caps, and midfielder Ugochukwu Iwu (naturalised, born in Nigeria) is playing for Rubin Kazan, but otherwise you look at their squad and wonder how they achieve even the results that they do, especially now that Mkhitaryan has retired from internationals.

Yeah certainly lost a couple of standout players, including Movsisyan who was a decent player as well. The only thing I'd add is that they have players who play at the likes of Astana and Slovan Bratislava for instance. Far from household names, but regularly compete in European competitions in recent seasons, so obviously players who can be competitive at least and far from minnows.

[Winston Biscuit]

Netherlands Vs Ireland next month in a 2024 qualifier

Due to The Nations League standings being impacted by these results as well, its now very much in Ireland's benefit to actually lose this match, allowing the Netherlands to directly qualify for Euro 2024 and not take up a qualifying place from the Nations League, meaning Ireland can try and get that

[Sanguine]

Netherlands Vs Ireland next month in a 2024 qualifier

Due to The Nations League standings being impacted by these results as well, its now very much in Ireland's benefit to actually lose this match, allowing the Netherlands to directly qualify for Euro 2024 and not take up a qualifying place from the Nations League, meaning Ireland can try and get that

True, albeit the Dutch win in Greece this week means that this particular match shouldn't matter. Greece can only reach 15 points (if they beat France at home), and should Netherlands lose to Ireland, they'll only have to beat Gibraltar to also get to 15, in which case they'd qualify on H2H vs. Greece.

[RG30]

First ballot closes at midday today.

[Stranded]

First ballot closes at midday today.

Have applied for every game hosted in Frankfurt and a couple of others, so will probably get nothing.

Friends of ours have applied for tickets to every match, not realising that if you are successful you have to pay for all the tickets you get and not just the ones you really want. Yes, you can sell them on but in the unlikely event they get all of them they'll have to fork out about 7k.

[RG30]

Gubbed in the ballot.

[Silver Fox]

Do you get a email to say you've failed or is no email confirmation of failure?

[Stranded]

Not a sausage in the ballot - ah well, will try in the later rounds.

Will be mildly annoyed given there are 5 games being played 15 mins from my front door if I don't manage to get any but hey ho.

[Stranded]

Do you get a email to say you've failed or is no email confirmation of failure?

I think the latter - I just logged into the website and was met by a sea of red but not had an email as yet.

[Silver Fox]

Was successful getting 4 cheap tickets for Dortmund on June 25th, fingers crossd someone else in our group got something for the Dusseldorf game on the 24th

[RG30]

Was successful getting 4 cheap tickets for Dortmund on June 25th, fingers crossd someone else in our group got something for the Dusseldorf game on the 24th

If you decide to sell one please remember me

[Silver Fox]

We're quite badly organised so the chances of a spare are probably pretty decent!!

[Greatwesternline]

I applied to tickets for every day of the tournament got nothing. Nor did any of my friends. Whereas for France we all got plenty. Suspect French apathy towards live sporting events compared to Germans explains it.

[Stranded]

Was successful getting 4 cheap tickets for Dortmund on June 25th, fingers crossd someone else in our group got something for the Dusseldorf game on the 24th

Not coming to Frankfurt - how rude!

[Silver Fox]

Was successful getting 4 cheap tickets for Dortmund on June 25th, fingers crossd someone else in our group got something for the Dusseldorf game on the 24th

Not coming to Frankfurt - how rude!

Would have been nice! The whole plan is based around Dusseldorf and Dortmund being proper close to each other and having games on consecutive dates so we don't have to move around (can't remember which one we're staying in)

[Sutekh]

England qualified.

Scotland qualified.

Ireland failed to qualify.

Northern Ireland failed to qualify.

Wales need 2 wins depending on other results - final meaningful games:

Friday
Armenia v Wales
Latvia v Croatia

Monday
Wales v Turkey
Croatia v Armenia

Three way battle for 1st and 2nd. Wales currently in 2nd by credit of a better h2h v Croatia in 3rd. Both are 6 points adrift of Turkey with one game in hand.